REVELERS FEEL THE ‘BEAT’ WITH THIRD BIENNIAL SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL POETRY FESTIVAL

A Cornucopia of Stylish Events Awaits Poets and Their Admirers throughout the Weekend

Add Another Stamp to Your Poetry Passport this July 26-29th, 2012

San Francisco, CA—Celebrate the creative spirit at the third San Francisco International Poetry Festival, July 26—29, 2012. Presented by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, the Mayor's Office of Protocol, the San Francisco Public Library and Emeritus San Francisco Poet Laureate Jack Hirschman, the landmark event brings more than 18 poets from all around the world to San Francisco for free and open-to-the-public poetry and music.

The four-day poetry extravaganza begins on Thursday, July 26, 2012 with a kick-off party hosted by Jack Hirschman, legendary Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and City Library Luis Herrera at Kerouac Alley in North Beach. The party features an introduction of participating poets and performances and readings by former Modern Lovers musician Jonathan Richman, former San Francisco Supervisor Matt Gonzales and more.

Additional Festivities include:

Friday lunch-time poetry reading in the Civic Center Plaza

Outdoor poetry & performances on Saturday in Civic Center Plaza

Poetry Crawl in North Beach

Youth poetry, Translation Workshops, Beat poetry lectures and more.

The San Francisco International Poetry Festival boasts a truly international group of poets from Iraq to Columbia. The festival honors our City’s great poetic legacy and encourages cross-cultural dialogue.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit SFIPF.org.

Check out the lineup of wonderful poets appearing at this year’s festival:

Amiri Baraka (USA)

Antoine Cassar (Malta)

Sasha Pimentel Chacon (Philippines)

Neeli Cherkovski (USA)

Carla Badillo Coronado (Ecuador)

Agneta Falk (Sweden/USA)

Lawrence Ferlinghetti (USA)

Heinz D. Heisl (Austria)

Jane Hirshfield (USA)

Jack Hirschman (USA)

Yahia Lababidi (Egypt)

Dunya Mikhail (Iraq)

Alejandro Murguia (USA/Mexico)

Sandro Sardella (Italy)

Joachim Sartorius (Germany)

Matt Sedillo (USA)

Marie Silkeberg (Sweden)

Antonieta Villamil (Columbia)

CALENDAR EDITORS: International Poetry Festival Schedule

Thursday, July 26th

7:00—9:00 p.m.

Kerouac Alley, North Beach district

Official Kick-Off Party, hosted by Jack Hirschman, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and City Librarian Luis Herrera. Introduction of festival poets and jazz concert, featuring Neeli Cherkovski, Matt Gonzalez and Jonathan Richman (Modern Lovers musician) and a special appearance by the Magnetic Poets.